December 5, 2019 9.34 am This story is over 51 months old

Lincoln Cathedral chancellor denies historical indecent assault

He will appear back in court in January

Revd Dr Paul Overend

The chancellor of Lincoln Cathedral denied an alleged historical indecent assault on a female student when he appeared at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court.

The Reverend Dr Paul Overend, 53, of Vicars Court in Lincoln, is accused of grabbing a woman and kissing her at a party while he was chaplain at Cardiff University in 1997.

Neil Evans, defending, told the court that Overend denied the charge. He was granted bail and will appear at Cardiff Crown Court on January 2.

Overend was appointed as Canon Chancellor at Lincoln Cathedral in November 2017 to lead the cathedral’s work of public theology and Christian education. He stepped down 14 months later when he was charged by South Wales Police.

Lincoln Cathedral previously said: “The Chancellor, the Revd Dr Paul Overend has been charged with indecent assault by the police. As this is a judicial process we are unable to comment on this matter. Our prayers are with all those affected by this news.”

Overend previously spent seven years as university chaplain in Cardiff before teaching philosophy and ethics at the university and at Liverpool Hope University.

He also served as principal of the Ordained Local Ministry and Reader training scheme in Salisbury, and as a staff member at the Southern Theological and Education Training Scheme, also in Salisbury.

He also worked in the Diocese of Norwich, and is a tutor in spirituality and ethics with the Eastern Region Ministry Course, as well as experience in Ripon and Sheffield cathedrals as a singer before ordination, in Salisbury, and in Norwich.